Gnarly
Pronunciation
- UK IPA: /ˈnÉ‘Ëli/
- US enPR: närʹli, IPA: /ˈnɑrli/
Origin
In slang senses, particularly popularized by US surf culture in the 1970s.
Online Etymology Dictionary
Full definition of gnarly
Adjective
gnarly
- having or characterized by gnarls; gnarledOn the right of the station were two gnarly cottonwood trees... — Mark Goodwin, Last Words
- (US slang) dangerousWhen the swell struck, the North Shore got gnarly, and the wise ones hit the outer islands where the energy was just as juicy but a bit more organized. — Surfer Magazine, March 1977
- (US slang) unpleasant, awful, uglyWe're not talking about a lame chick and a gnarly guy. We're talking about a couple of far-out dudes. — D. Jenkins, Baja Oklahoma
- (slang) excellent, attractive"There ain't nothing gnarlier (apparently) than slapping on some brightly coloured sunblock to ward off the blinding spectre of dangerous, snow-reflected sunlight. — Glasgow Sunday Herald, 16 January 2000
- (US slang) Of music or a sound, harsh"She displays the same love of gnarly fuzztones and shout-it-out-loud choruses that began back in her daze sic with local all-girl rockers the Runaways. — Los Angeles Times, 12 October 1986
Usage notes
Note the contradictory senses of “good†and “badâ€. Meaning varies by community and context, and may be indicated by extra-verbal cues, such as tone of voice. Sense of “good†particularly associated with surf culture, to the point of being somewhat clichéd, as in “gnarly wave, dude!â€.